skills/hig-components-menus/SKILL.md
Apple HIG guidance for menu and button components including menus, context menus, dock menus, edit menus, the menu bar, toolbars, action buttons, pop-up buttons, pull-down buttons, disclosure controls, and standard buttons. Use this skill when the user says "how should my buttons look," "what goes in the menu bar," "should I use a context menu or action sheet," "how do I design a toolbar," or asks about button design, menu design, context menu, toolbar, menu bar, action button, pop-up button, pull-down button, disclosure control, dock menu, edit menu, or any menu/button component layout and behavior. Cross-references: hig-components-search, hig-components-controls, hig-components-dialogs.
npx skillsauth add raintree-technology/hig-doctor hig-components-menusInstall this skill globally with one command. Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and Windsurf.
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Check for .claude/apple-design-context.md before asking questions. Use existing context and only ask for information not already covered.
Menus should be contextual and predictable. Standard items in standard locations. Follow platform conventions for ordering and grouping.
Use standard button styles. System-defined styles communicate affordance and maintain visual consistency. Prefer them over custom designs.
Toolbars for frequent actions. Most commonly used commands in the toolbar. Rarely used actions belong in menus.
Menu bar is the primary command interface on macOS. Every command reachable from the menu bar. Toolbars and context menus supplement, not replace.
Context menus for secondary actions. Right-click or long-press, relevant to the item under the pointer. Never put a command only in a context menu.
Pop-up buttons for mutually exclusive choices. Select exactly one option from a set.
Pull-down buttons for action lists. No current selection; they offer a set of commands.
Action buttons consolidate related actions behind a single icon in toolbars or title bars.
Disclosure controls for progressive disclosure. Show or hide additional content.
Dock menus: short and focused on the most useful actions when the app is running.
| Reference | Topic | Key content | |---|---|---| | menus.md | General menu design | Item ordering, grouping, shortcuts | | context-menus.md | Context menus | Right-click, long press, secondary actions | | dock-menus.md | Dock menus | macOS app-level actions, running state | | edit-menus.md | Edit menus | Undo, copy, paste, standard items | | the-menu-bar.md | Menu bar | macOS primary command interface, structure | | toolbars.md | Toolbars | Frequent actions, customization, placement | | buttons.md | Buttons | System styles, sizing, affordance | | action-button.md | Action button | Grouped secondary actions, toolbar use | | pop-up-buttons.md | Pop-up buttons | Mutually exclusive choice selection | | pull-down-buttons.md | Pull-down buttons | Action lists, no current selection | | disclosure-controls.md | Disclosure controls | Progressive disclosure, show/hide |
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development
Apple HIG guidance for Apple technology integrations: Siri, Apple Pay, HealthKit, HomeKit, ARKit, machine learning, generative AI, iCloud, Sign in with Apple, SharePlay, CarPlay, Game Center, in-app purchase, NFC, Wallet, VoiceOver, Maps, Mac Catalyst, and more. Use when asked about: "Siri integration", "Apple Pay", "HealthKit", "HomeKit", "ARKit", "augmented reality", "machine learning", "generative AI", "iCloud sync", "Sign in with Apple", "SharePlay", "CarPlay", "in-app purchase", "NFC", "VoiceOver", "Maps", "Mac Catalyst". Also use when the user says "how do I integrate Siri," "what are the Apple Pay guidelines," "how should my AR experience work," "how do I use Sign in with Apple," or asks about any Apple framework or service integration. Cross-references: hig-inputs for input methods, hig-components-system for widgets.
testing
Apple Human Interface Guidelines for platform-specific design. Use this skill when the user asks about "designing for iOS", "iPad app design", "macOS design", "tvOS", "visionOS", "watchOS", "Apple platform", "which platform", platform differences, platform-specific conventions, or multi-platform app design. Also use when the user says "should I design differently for iPad vs iPhone", "how does my app work on visionOS", "what's different about macOS apps", "porting my app to another platform", "universal app design", or "what input methods does this platform use". Cross-references: hig-foundations for shared design foundations, hig-patterns for interaction patterns, hig-components-layout for navigation structures, hig-components-content for content display.
testing
Apple Human Interface Guidelines interaction and UX patterns. Use this skill when the user asks about "onboarding flow", "user onboarding", "app launch", "loading state", "drag and drop", "search pattern", "settings design", "notifications", "modality", "multitasking", "feedback pattern", "haptics", "undo redo", "file management", data entry, sharing, collaboration, full screen, audio, video, haptic feedback, ratings, printing, help, or account management in Apple apps. Also use when the user says "how should onboarding work", "my app takes too long to load", "should I use a modal here", "how do I handle errors", "when should I ask for permissions", "how to show progress", or "what's the right way to confirm a delete". Cross-references: hig-foundations for underlying principles, hig-platforms for platform specifics, hig-components-layout for navigation, hig-components-content for data display.
development
Apple HIG guidance for input methods and interaction patterns: gestures, Apple Pencil, keyboards, game controllers, pointers, Digital Crown, eye tracking, focus system, remotes, spatial interactions, gyroscope, accelerometer, and nearby interactions. Use when asked about: "gesture design", "Apple Pencil", "keyboard shortcuts", "game controller", "pointer support", "mouse support", "trackpad", "Digital Crown", "eye tracking", "visionOS input", "focus system", "remote control", "gyroscope", "spatial interaction". Also use when the user says "what gestures should I support," "how do I add keyboard shortcuts," "how does input work on Apple TV," "should I support Apple Pencil," or asks about input device handling. Cross-references: hig-components-status, hig-components-system, hig-technologies for VoiceOver and Siri.